Apparatus for precasting concrete piles



Patented Aug. 22, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT o-FFlcE APPARATUS FOR PREcAsTiNG commie PILES Duke Marohbanks, San- Francisco, Calif.

Application April 3, 1942, Serial No.437,576 1 Claim. (01. 25-121) The invention, in general," relates to the production of structural pillars, columns, piles and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved method of and equipment for manufacturing pre-cast concrete piles or other structural elements serving as foundations for s'up'er'structures, as well as for the production of smaller articles or devices such as conduits, or tubes, er like structures. 7 t

While my invention is entirely suitable and adaptable for forming or pre-casting a variety of different types of devices as above indicated, the present embodiment of my invention has been especially devised for use in the manufacture of pre-cast concrete piles of indeterminate length and height. Accordingly, my improved method and equipment will be described in the latter environment.

A primary object of my invention is to provide equipment for pre-casting concrete structural pillars, columns, piles and other elements of predetermined cross-section but of indeterminate length and height, V i

Another objector the present invention is to provide improved pro-casting moulds and associated apparatus for carrying out my improved method of pre-casting without likelihood of war'page of moulds during the manufacture of concrete'piles onthe like. p

A still further object: Of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus of the indicated nature which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which isrugged and positive in operation or use.

Anotherobject of my improvement is to provide novel means forpre casting concrete piles which reduces the handling of moulds to a minimum as well as appreciably reduces the labor required for dismantling and re-positioning moulds to produce concrete piles of indeterminate heights.

The foregoing and other objects are attained ma preferred e'rribodiment of my invention which isIillust'rated in the accompanying drawing, It is tobe understood that I am not to be limited to; the precise embodiment shown, nor to the precise arrangementofthe several parts of the apparatus, as my invention, as defined in the appended claim, can'be' embodied in a plurality and variety of forms.

Referring to the drawing Figure l is atop plan 'view, partly in section, of a preferredembodiment' of the present invenion.

EigureZ is a' fragmentary perspective View of the preferred embodiment of my inveritidii.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the invention, this view. showing the equipment in an elevated position after two structural elements have been produced and the apparatus r'e-positioned' for increasing the height of the initially produced elements.

In its preferred form, the pre-cas'ting apparatus ofmy invention. for manufacturing, Precast concrete piles, pillars, columns and the like preferably comprises a pair of separate moulds for receiving the material, such as concrete, of which the structural supporting elements are to be'rriade; each of 'saidmouldsincludi'ng an inner side wall, together with a spacer assemblywhich includes the inner side walls of said moulds as well' as a plurality ofspacer members arranged at spaced distances longitudinally of' said moulds; each of said spacer members beingada'pted to exert pressure against opposite inner side walls of adjacent moulds to hold said walls'ri'gidl'y in position during the setting'of the material in'the moulds, and means for actuating all of said spacer members-simultaneously whereby the pressure against said inner side walls .is relieved through out their entire lengths in one operation.

WhileIhave illustrated'but two rnoulds in the accompanying drawing, it is to beunderstood that a multiplicity of" structural supporting elemerits, such as pre-cast concrete piles, canbe 'produced'substantially simultaneously simply by duplicating these moulds, in pairs and-inparallel relationship, over an extensive area. In other words, thenumber ofconcretepillara; columns or piles that can be" manufactured more or less simultaneously is dependent only upon thelavail'r able space and prepared flooring therefor, as well as the number ofpairs' of parallel arranged mouldsjand associated apparatus of mypresent".

improvement. J V V I As'illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the imprbvea' pie-casting apparatus of my pres ent invention includes a pair of similarly eon: struc'tedmoulds H and l2 into which the mate: rial-of which the s'tructural supporting element is to be" made may be' poured. These" moans l l and" I2 "are so constructed as t'o'be readily ex'ten sible" in length in order to accommodateaverage lengths of concrete piles, such as fifty feet,.l or topro'diice concrete piles or any desiredlehgth ranging frornfift'y feet to one hundred 'feet or greater:- Eachof' them (fulfils H and l2 dollsists' of ah outer, sectional sidewall l 3"a'ndaii inner sectional sidew'a'll I' l, together with a flat wall: end piece lfi' a'n'd ataperi'ng nose oriendipiece n; the" latter" being shaped "to the form" desired to provide for entering the sub-strata into which the pile may be driven and seated. Preferably, each of the sections of the side Walls l3 and I4 of both moulds is made approximately ten feet in length, and these sections preferably are fabricated of relatively strong, cross-grained plywood presenting smooth, straight inner surfaces throughout. Any suitable means can be employed for uniting the sections of the side walls of the moulds but I preferably utilize a pair of angle irons l8 at each joint between adjacent sections, together with suitable screw-bolts 9 for fastening the legs of the angle irons together so that the sections of each side Wall of each of the moulds are detachably connected and the side walls thus can be readily extended to the desired lengths. Since it is customary to build concrete piles of square cross-section with beveled corners, as shown in the drawing and designated by the reference numeral 28, each of the moulds H and 2 can be made to square crosssection and I provide suitable shaped strips 2| and 22 on the inner surfaces of the side walls l3 and M in order to afford the beveled corners upon the ultimately formed or cast structural supporting element 26. Strips 2| and 22 preferably are cut from hardwood and are detachably fastened in position by means of suitable screws 23. As particularly illustrated in Figure 2 of'the drawing, strips 22 are fastened to the inner surfaces of both side walls l3 and I4 a short distance above the bottoms of such walls so that a portion of each of these walls, as indicated by the reference numeral 24, extends to the base of a prepared flooring or board 25 upon which the poured concrete seats. For producing a square cast concrete pile of predetermined cross-section, the strips 2| are so fastened to the inner surfaces of the side Walls as to have their upper surfaces flush with the upper surfaces of these side walls, as shown in' Figure 2 of the drawing. In the event that it is desired to produce with these same moulds a square cast concrete pile of less cross-section, the two side walls l3 and M of the moulds can be moved closer together and the strips 2| lowered correspondingly to provide for the square concrete pile of such lesser cross-section, the new or lowered position of strips 2| being indicated by the dotted line showing in Figure 2 o'f the drawing and single operation thus avoiding all'likelihood of,

warpage of the moulds which otherwise would occur should such side walls be loosened, or the pressure thereon relievedsection by sectiongas in present practice of pre-casting concrete piles.

The spacer assembly is so constructed that it can be lifted as a unit, such as by cranes where long piles are being manufactured, and shifted to a' new-position or elevated for increasing the height of the piles, as desired] As shown, the spacer assembly of'my improved pre-casting apparatus includes as apart of the same both of the inner side Walls M of adjacently positioned moulds H and I2. The assembly als includes a plurality of separate spacer members26 which are all'con 7 M. throughout their entire lengths." Since .the,

nected together by a sectional actuating rod 28, and which are spaced apart substantially equal distances longitudinally of the moulds. Each of the spacer members 26 preferably includes a central casting 29 to which are pivotally connected, by means of pivot pins 3|, a pair of opposed, bifurcated arms 32 and 33 which are pivoted at their outer ends, by means of pivot pins 34 and 35, to spaced lugs 36 secured to the outer surfaces of the inner side walls M of the moulds adjacent the top and bottom thereof. Each of the central castings 29 of the spacer assembly is cored, as at 31, so that sections of the actuating rod 28 may be tapped thereinto, and pins 38 are provided for rigidly securing the castings 29 to the rod sections that are tapped therein, with the exception of the end casting as hereinafter explained. Preferably, the rod 28 is made hollow with the sections thereof joined together by suitable'unions 39. In addition to the hollow sections of rod 28, I provide a solid steel rod section 4| as an extension of actuating rod 28 for moving the castings 29 and their associated elements simultaneously; the rod section 4| being threaded at its inner end for threaded engagement with not only the threaded core 31 of end casting 29 adjacent the rod section 4|, but also for threaded engagement with the adjacent threaded end of an end rod section of the actuating r0d 28. Section 4| of the actuating rod is conveniently provided with a suitable crank 42 to facilitate rotation of the rod.

'In addition to the inner side 'walls M of the two moulds and the spacer members 26, the spacer assembly of my improved apparatus includes means associated with the solid rod section 4| of the actuating rod, and acting in conjunction therewith, to effect simultaneous movement of all spacer members 26. These means include four separately mounted arms arranged in pairs on each side of the rod section 4| one above'the other, the showing of Figure 1 of the drawing only depicting the upper arms 46 and 47 of each pair in this group. Arms 46 and 41 are pivotally connected at their one ends to extensions-48 formed on lugs 36 which are secured to the inner side walls l4 of the moulds, and are pivotally connected at their other ends to'links 49 carried by a sleeve 5| secured to the rod section 4| of the actuating rod.'-- It will be clear from this construction and the showing'of Figure l of the drawing, that rotation of crank 42 to tighten the rod section 4|into the threaded core 3'? of the adjacent end casting 29 of the spacer assembly will draw the castings and their associated arms 32, 33, as well as the arms 46, 41 and links'49 to the positions indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1. Clearly, the movement of all spacer members 26 is simultaneous, and at once relieves the pressure on the inner side walls arms 32, 33, 46 and 41 are'all connected to lugs 35 and-extensions thereof, which are secured to the sidewalls of the moulds, such inner side walls M will be drawn toward one another, orv away from the cast'concrete piles, upon tightening of the rod section 4| into the core of end casting ,29 adjacent'to such rod section, all as indicated by the dot and dash lines of Figure 1 showing the loosened positions of such inner side walls. Once the pressure has been relieved on such inner side walls, and this is done of course only after a predetermined timeinterval to insure the setting of the concrete in the moulds, the entire spacer assembly can' be lifted as a unit and moved to a new position, such as indicated in Figure 3 of the drawing, in order to increase the height of the initially produced cast piles For convenience in lifting the spacer assembly, each of the castings 29 of the separate spacer members 26 is provided with a bale 56 which may consist of a loop of cable that can be cast into the castings 29 as a part thereof. In

order to limit the movement of the spacer members 26 when the pressure on the inner side walls M of the moulds is relieved, I provide short abutments 5! on each of the lugs 36 against which the arms 32 and 33 strike as they are moved to the dotted line positions of Figure 1 of the drawing. It is of course clear that turning of crank 42 in the opposite direction will eifect simultaneous movement of all spacer members 26, including the castings 29 and their associated parts, as well as the linkage 46, 4'! and 49, back to the positions indicated by the full line showings of Figure 1 of the drawing, wherein the arms 32 and 33 of the spacer members 26 are in a straight line exerting pressure against opposite inner side walls [4 of the adjacent moulds H and I2. It may also be observed that each of the outer side walls l3 of each end or outer mould of the pairs of moulds, regardless of the number of pairs of parallel arranged moulds employed in producing a plurality of pre-cast concrete piles, is of course braced with a plurality of suitable rods, all not shown, to compensate for the pressure applied against the inner side walls M of each mould by the arms 32, 32 of the spacer members.

To prevent longitudinal movement or shifting of the inner side walls Id of adjacent moulds relative to one another, I fasten four tie-rods 58 across these side walls adjacent to the longitudinal extremities thereof, as shown. Preferably, the tie-rods 58 are arranged in pairs one above the other and since the spacer assembly of my improved pre-casting apparatus functions to draw the inner side walls Id of adjacent moulds toward each other when relieving the pressure thereon in readiness for dismantling and repositioning of the moulds and spacer assembly, each of the tie-rods 58 is made of two telescopic sections, as shown,'to allow for such movement of the inner side walls M of the moulds.

The apparatus described herein affords an improved mode of pre-casting concrete piles over present methods in general use, in that it affords simultaneous relief of pressure along the entire length of the inner side walls of the moulds in a single operation, rather than relief of pressure section by section or at isolated points, as in present practice, thus preventing warping of the moulds entirely. My improved method of precasting concrete piles will be exclusively used on defense projects of this country for the duration an extensible outer side, a spacer assembly between said inner side walls of said moulds including a plurality of separate spacer members arranged at spaced intervals longitudinally of said moulds; said spacer members each compris ing a central casting, a pair of opposed bifurcated arms pivotally connected to opposite sides of said castings, a pair of lugs secured to each of said inner side walls of said moulds adjacent the tops and bottoms thereof in line with said castings, and pivot pins connecting said arms to said lugs, and means for moving all of said castings simultaneously in either one or the other of two opposite directions, movement of said castings in one direction affording the application of pressure by said armsagainst opposite inner side walls of adjacent moulds adjacent the tops and bottoms thereof while movement of all of said castings in the opposite direction efiects the relief of all pressure on said inner side walls instantaneously and throughout their lengths in a single operation.

DUKE MARCHBANKS. 

